Dana Reeve Dies of Lung Cancer (Widow Of Christopher Reeve)

Fox News & AP ^ | March 7, 2006

[JRochelle]

She died of lung cancer. Haven't found any links yet. Heard it on WLSAM Chicago.

[Chickensoup]

Not all smokers get cancer. The maximum figure is around 25%.

The largest grouping of lung cancer IN THE WORLD is Chinese women. They cook in oils over smokey fires.

[Moonman62]

She wasn't a smoker. But she was exposed to concentrated second-hand smoke for years. (She sang in bars.)

You're going to get it from the tobacco addicts.

[Moonman62]

Of course, because it HAD to be SOMETHING to do with smoking. Lung Cancer didn't exist until smoking you know.

She was young and healthy. Her genetics and stress from her husband's illness could have been factors too, as well as second hand smoke.

[Hannah Senesh]

"okay, it looks like the responses are about 50/50. (Half think I'm crazy, half think I'm merely stupid.) We'll call it a draw."

Of course you are entitled to your opinion. What people are objecting to is their total inappropriateness on this particular thread.

If lack of class and boorishness could kill, you'd have been dead years ago.

[Liberty Valance]

Let me guess. This is the most responses you've ever gotten on any thread. Do you feel important now?

[Darnright]

>Andy Kaufman also died from lung cancer, and never smoked. I believe that form of lung cancer is called oat cell cancer.<

My father, a long time smoker of unfiltered Kools, died of oat cell carcinoma of the lung. His brother died of lung cancer, and never smoked. The family suspects my uncle's exposure to asbestos may have been a factor. I am not sure the type of cancer that killed him.

Go figure.

[Lanza]

This is so sad. I feel so terrible for her son. They are replaying an interview she had with Diane Sawyer in November. She said her son has had to deal with his dad dying and his grandmother (her mother - and she said her son was extremely close to her mother) all within a year. Now this.

She was so optimistic in November and said treatment was going well and shrinking the tumor.

[Moonman62]

Every human being, if they live long enough, will die of some form of cancer.

Or emphysema if they smoke.

[WasDougsLamb]

****Rest in Peace Dana. Prayers to the family****

[Mia T]

LOL!
Another MENSA candidate.
Not all smokers get cancer. The maximum figure is around 25%.--Publius6961 to Burkean

And that proves... ?
A causal relationship between smoking and cancer doesn't mean smoking alone is sufficient to cause cancer.

Second hand smoke in a killer only anectodally. All Scientific studies indicate otherwise.--Publius6961

Not true. (see below)

Not all lung cancer victims are smokers.--Publius6961

And that proves... ? That there are other causes of lung cancer, obviously.

 

From the Mayo Clinic website:
The problem of secondhand smoke: How it affects nonsmokers

Health experts have recognized the relationship between secondhand smoke and health risks for decades. The research exploring their connections is ongoing. However, some of the known or suspected risks include:

Cancer

... Experts believe that secondhand smoke is to blame for roughly 3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers each year in the United States. Some research indicates that people exposed to a spouse's cigarette smoke for several decades are about 20 percent more likely to have lung cancer. Those who are exposed long-term to secondhand smoke in the workplace or social settings may increase their risk of lung cancer by about 25 percent.

Heart disease

A 1999 report from the U.S. Surgeon General states that secondhand smoke is associated with up to 62,000 deaths from ischemic heart disease &emdash; heart disease caused by narrowing of blood vessels to the heart &emdash; in the United States each year.

Secondhand smoke causes increased cardiovascular risks by damaging blood vessels, decreasing your ability to exercise and altering blood cholesterol levels.

 

Little lungs, big impact: How secondhand smoke affects children

Secondhand smoke also may have a marked effect on the health of infants and children. Some conditions of concern are:

Asthma

Secondhand smoke may make asthma attacks more frequent and severe in children who already have asthma &emdash; up to 1 million each year.

Children with asthma who live with one smoker may be more than twice as likely to miss school because of a respiratory illness than are unexposed children without asthma. And if children with asthma live with two or more smokers, they may be more than four times as likely to be absent with respiratory illness.

Even children without asthma are 40 percent more likely to miss school with a respiratory ailment if they live with at least two smokers.

Secondhand smoke is also associated with up to 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in infants and toddlers each year.

Middle ear conditions

Children living in households with smokers are more likely to have ear infections or fluid in their ears and are more likely to need surgically placed drainage tubes in their eardrums. Secondhand smoke may be a factor in more than 1 million children's visits to the doctor for middle ear infections every year.

Low birth weight and SIDS

Secondhand smoke is also associated with low birth weight. Low birth weight, in turn, has been linked to increased risk in adults of stroke, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes).

In addition, research indicates that if a mother smokes, her infant may have twice the risk of SIDS. The increased risk may be due to an infant's improper lung and brain development and an increased number of respiratory infections caused by smoking.

[Lx]

I'll let you know after I finish a fine Macanudo...

[sandbar]

>>>Cancer is scary. And to make it worse, now they're finding out that some forms are CONTAGIOUS! :-O >>>

What????

[commish]

Tragic loss for the Reeve family. She was an inspiration and wonderful person.

Just another case that lends creedence to the theory that long term caregivers end up with health issues of thier own after their spouse passes.

[TAdams8591]

So sad. Prayers for she and her children, who are too young to be without parents.

[spectre]

I haven't read this entirethread, so forgive me if this has been said before.

I suspect Dana neglected her own health care while she was caretaker to Chris. This happens a lot. So I don't know if the Lung Cancer was primary, or if it metastasized from else where?

She was an advocate for stem cell research. Kudos to her.

sw

[sarasota]

I'm with you on this one.

[Mia T]

She wasn't a smoker. But she was exposed to concentrated second-hand smoke for years. (She sang in bars.)--me

You're going to get it from the tobacco addicts.--Moonman62

;)

See my response to Publius6961

[cubreporter]

Now that is really sad. Their poor little child losing both his parents at such a young age. That IS tragic and beyond my comprehension. May she rest in peace with her husband and may they both have their hand on the shoulder of their son to guide him through this tough time and througout the rest of his life. My prayers will be for this little guy.